Reps in rowdy session as n’assembly adopts 3% as host community fund in PIB

The house of representatives was thrown into a rowdy session on Thursday following a protest by Chinyere Igwe, a lawmaker from Rivers state.

The house had barely commenced sitting for the day when Igwe walked around the floor chanting “the PIB report is a fraud”.

TheCable understands that Igwe was protesting the adoption of 3 percent as host community trust fund in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the conference committee set up by both the lower chamber and the senate.

The PIB was passed by both houses of the national assembly on July 2.

The bill will govern the operations of the oil industry in Nigeria.

The senate voted and approved the report of the conference committee on the PIB on Thursday.

There was feeble protest by some southern senators when the senate considered the report of the conference committee.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the matter cannot be revisited because the bill had been passed.

TheCable had reported that the green chamber approved 5 percent as host community trust fund when it passed the bill.

At the plenary session, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house, offered a prayer after which he hit the gavel to maintain order but the fierce protest continued.

Gbajabiamila subsequently ruled that the house enter a closed session.

Mohammed Monguno, chairman of the ad hoc committee on PIB, later moved a motion that the report be stepped down.

The house stepped down consideration of the PIB to reconsider later.